Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-07-15

tents of the bottles had the effect to dis
perse the devils for the night 1t least. and
IN lle course of time and circu. INST nee |
arrived in Cincinnati alone, the devils
having evidently missed a connection
somewhere.
The change of scene seemed to do me
good but | was still a long way from
being the same man who had left Wash
ington two months before in excellent
health and ebullient spirits. and an
equally great distance from the goal of
sobrC-v. However, I realized the neces-
sity of obtaining employment at once, as
l didn't know soul in the town. and
my financial affairs were in very en-
barrassing condition. | think l had less
than a dollar when this prudential sug-
gestion crept upon me, and in further
ance of its behest made application for
a situation at the first office l came to.
Fortunately the proprietors We're as
anxious to secure help as | was to get
into a position of self sustenance, and
they didn't look me over very carefully,
so | was engaged to report for duty that
night, which | did. For obvious reasons
l drank very sparingly before going to
work and felt very shaky as the night
wore ON. l tried hard to overcome my
nervousness by close application to my
work. and had almost deluded myself
into the belief that / would succeed,
when. obeving an uncomfortable impulse
to look up, knowing full well what I
should see, raised my head, and to my
dismay there sat the three little devils
looking, if possible, more grewsOme than
ever. but as clipper as any devils ever
were and manifestly delighted to have
found me again. They must have come
| in on late train. but how they managed
| to procure my address so soon after their
arrival and before l had fairly mem
orized it myself l have never been able
to sumise. I'll swear l didn't ask EN-.
They took seats in front of my desk,
but We're sufficiently considerate of my
four or five hours connection with the
office to refrain from implying intimate
acquaintance with me by betraying soil
citude for my health, referring to our
simultaneous departure from New York,
or indulging in other remarks calculated
to convey the impression to strangers
that my associations were bad, and for
their delcacy and tact 1 shall always feel
grateful. particularly as we parted that
night never to meet again-on earth, at
least
How did you manage to get rid of
them
Il didn't get rid of them; they shook
me. The sight of those little grinning
sprites sitting in front of me made me
awfully thirsty and frightfully nervous,
l stood it for little while but finally
asked permission to go out and get
something to eat. Permission was
granted but l couldn't have eaten any
thing had my life depended upon my
doing so. Twas whisky l wanted. and
wanted it mighty quick. too. went out
ard the three little devils followed, one
at each of my shoulders and the third i'm
mediately behind me.
The Office in which was employed
was located on Fourth street. Just below
Walnut. a part of the city as dark and
deserted at that time and at that hour of
the night between II and o'clock as
in the dry goods or leather district of
New York. | was wholly unacquainted
with the neighborhood of course and
hadn't the faintest idea where to look for
saloon, but was rapidly approaching
or go crazy. The devils We're close upon
my heels. and fancied could see flashes
of heat radiating from them and scorch
ing my flesh. Closer and closer they
pressed me as l walked hurriedly uI
Fourth street to Sycamore, where not
finding a barroom open, | stopped and
retraced my steps, intending to try
Fourth street in the opposite direction
from Walnut. AS ! returned TO Walnut
street something-perhaps twas the
devils-Impelled me to look down the
incline toward the river, and, although
had done 80 when l crossed that street tC
go up, without seeing a light, did Sc
again, and to my unbounded delight
saw a red lamp, dim, to be sure, but still
to me unmistakable evidence that l hac
found what was in quest of.
, Il fairly ran to the place, and foun(
it to be low GROCERY of the Ordinar,
type; but that discovery didn't dis
, courage me. 1t wasn't quality wanted
but quantity. stepped down two steps
opened the door, and went in. Tn
1 devils went in too. A descent of tw
steps more brought me to the floor, ant
f half dozen PAGES rapidly taken brough
me to the bar, which was directly oppo
, site the door and facing it. The roor
! was large one and dimly lighted an
e opening out of it was another room, IN
/ lighted, reached by walking down tw
: steps corresponding in their distance c
t descent with the incline of the stree
toward the river. These latter details
i subsequently learned from the papers
g but / mention them as though | ha
!, taken them in with my eye at the tim
e in order to show my position, and &c
f the same purpose l will add that heav
It and very dirty tapestry curtain hung
t the doorway between the two rooms an
IS was half drawn.
d LAS | went in l observed that IL
It room had but two occupants-the ba
n tender and man facing him, with II
e counter between them. Both were tall
d ing loudly, but l was SO intent upo
IS getting drink that / scarcely heede
what they said. | walked over to Il
% bar and called for some whisky, b.
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